"Perhaps," Will said. "Home's been a bit... out of reach for a while now. I've learned to live with it."

Dahlia nodded and started putting groceries away. "At least you're not the only one in that boat."

Will raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" he asked. "And what happened to your home?"

"Besides being far out of reach?" Dahlia shrugged. "I was close to losing it anyway, before we were sent here."

"Sorry about that," Will said. "Maybe you'll get it back someday."

Dahlia just shrugged noncommittally and started working on dinner. She could at least throw together a soup.

"Have you eaten dinner?"

"I have not," Will replied, setting down the bag he'd been carrying. "Why? What're you cooking?"

"Soup. It won't be the best thing you've ever had, but it's good enough." Dahlia shrugged and snagged the other bag, pulling it over to rifle through it.

"Hey, soup's good," Will said. "I've survived on way worse than soup."

Dahlia nodded and worked on the soup for a while in quiet.

"So I heard you mention that she's a queen. The woman you were arguing with."

"Anastasia?" Will asked. After a brief hesitation, he nodded. "Yeah, she is-- or I guess, was, since we're here."

Dahlia nodded. "There is a distinct lack of kingdoms or castles here," she agreed, her voice mild. "Although I rather think there is more to a queen than her holdings."

"There's also a distinct overabundance of queens around here," Will replied, a bit dryly. "Three's a lot for a small town like this, I think."

"Three?" Dahlia asked, glancing over at him. She was curious to see who his count included.

"Well, Anastasia," Will said, "and I'm assuming you, of course, and then the Evil Queen herself, unless I'm very mistaken."

Dahlia nodded, a bit surprised that he'd recognized her as a queen when she hadn't said anything. But she didn't question it.

"Indeed. And perhaps fifteen princesses as well."

That made Will pause.

"That many?" he asked. "Bloody hell, how's this town still standing?"

"No clue," Dahlia said, her voice dry. "I'm sure it won't forever, especially considering some of the people here still hold grudges."

"No kidding," Will said. "How's a town this small even hold that many royals? Bloody hell, I have problems just keeping one happy."

Dahlia couldn't help but snort at him. "Yours seemed rather... hard to please," she said carefully.

"Anastasia can be a bit spoiled, I'll grant you," Will admitted. "She knows what she wants."

Dahlia nodded and dropped a few things into the soup pot to start things going. She did refrain from further comment, though.

Will let the silence stretch for a few moments.

"So where are you from, anyway?" he asked. "Certainly not the Enchanted Forest, not if you're a queen. So where?"

"The frozen lands to the north," Dahlia said quietly. "My kingdom was all ice and snow." She smiled a bit.

"Really?" Will asked, a bit interested now. "How's anyone survive up there? 'S gotta be stupidly cold up there."